1813-16 The Giaour, The Bride of Abydos, The Corsair, Lara, Hebrew Melodies, Fare Thee Well

Description

Early Edition, First Edition, Leather Binding

A collection of six of Byron's poetical works bound in one volume.

'The Giaour' published 1813, the 6th edition. Half-title is present

'The Bride of Abydos', published in 1813, the 1st edition. Bound without the half-title and adverts.

'The Corsair', published in 1814, the 5th edition. Half-title is present. 

'Lara', published in 1814, the 4th edition, 2nd issue, with additional note to pages 71-74. Lacking the final imprint leaf.

'Hebrew Melodies', published in 1815, the 1st edition. Half-title is present. Lacking the adverts, so it is unknown which issue this is. 

'Fare Thee Well. A Sketch From Private Life', published in 1816, the 1st Rodwell and Martin edition. 

Lord Byron has become one of the most famous figures in British history, notorious for his flamboyant and controversial life. He allegedly had an affair with his half sister, fathering a daughter by her. His only legitimate child, Ada Lovelace, was the first computer programmer. Byron ran into a lot of debt in his life, escaping to the East and Europe whenever this happened. He also has a number of high-profiled affairs, including the Lady Caroline Lamb, who was married to Queen Victoria's future first Prime Minister, William Lamb. His wife's separation from him in 1816 was a scandal, and was widely gossiped and written about. Byron was also present at the birth of Mary Shelley's famous horror story 'Frankenstein', in Switzerland.